Dr. Rene Bravo

René is a pediatrician, having lived and practiced pediatrics here on the Central Coast since 1986. A graduate of the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Dr. Bravo did his internship and residency at Stanford University Medical Center. 

A longtime advocate for children and families, René is currently in private practice in San Luis Obispo. Active in many community endeavors, he has served as the Chief of Pediatrics at Sierra Vista and French Hospitals. He was the past Chief of Staff at SLO General Hospital.

Locally, René has served on many community boards including leadership positions in the American Cancer Society, the Partnership for the Children of San Luis Obispo County and the San Luis Obispo County Foundation for Public Libraries (past-President). He is past Chairman of the State of California’s Medical Drug Use Review (DUR) Board in Sacramento appointed by Gov. Wilson to help design, develop and implement the nation’s largest DUR program for the State’s MediCal recipients.

René is especially passionate about children's health issues and has served as President of the Partnership for the Children of San Luis Obispo County and assisted in the initial vision and development of the Clinic de Tolosa Dental Clinic in Paso Robles serving low income families. He currently serves on the San Luis Obispo County Children and Families Commission (First Five Commission). First Five has been a powerful vehicle to affect children's health and welfare as they work with various entities in the community. He was the founding President of the Children's Health Initiative of San Luis Obispo County, bringing together a widespread coalition of private, public and government organizations to found and support a universal health care network for all children in San Luis Obispo County. 

René is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A family man, René lives in San Luis Obispo with his wife and their five sons.

Sue Andersen

In July 2018, Sue Andersen became the President and CEO of Marian Regional Medical Center. She oversees an entity with over $600M in annual revenues, two hospital locations, residency programs, a skilled nursing facility, an acute rehab facility, a homecare entity and outpatient labs, imaging and infusion centers. She has been at Marian and Dignity Health for the last 18 years. 

Prior to the Presidency, Sue was Vice President of Finance and the Chief Financial Officer for the Dignity Health Hospitals of the Central Coast: Marian Regional Medical Center (Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande Campuses), French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and St John’s Hospitals in Oxnard and Camarillo. 

Andersen oversaw all financial operations for all five hospitals, home care, hospice and infusion agencies, four surgery centers, four foundations and over 30 health centers. She managed all financial and business operations, materials management, acquisitions, joint ventures and more. 

Previously, Andersen was named companywide CFO of the year by Ornda Healthcorp and Summit Health Ltd. She has been an accounting instructor at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration from California State Polytechnic University. She was a Certified Internal Auditor.

She currently serves as a board member of the Hospital Association of Southern California as well as a board member of the Kids Cancer Research Foundation, Shower the People, Health Services of the Pacific Central Coast, Coastal Surgical Institute and Plaza Surgery Center.

Lynda S. Tanner, RN, MSN

Lynda Tanner is the President and CEO of VNA Health, an organization of 250 employees providing hospice, home health and palliative care service programs to more than 12,000 people annually across Santa Barbara County. 

After successfully pressing for legislation to increase end-of-life inpatient beds, in 2011 Ms. Tanner oversaw VNA Health’s opening of a new state-of-the-art inpatient hospice facility, Serenity House. She also directed the acquisition of Community Home Health, which increased VNA Health’s delivery of home health services by 35%, and successfully obtained branch status for a satellite location in Santa Ynez. In 2012, Ms. Tanner oversaw a move to a new location in downtown Santa Barbara with more space to house the growing organization. Since 2014, Ms. Tanner has participated in VNA Health’s annual PHorum: Perspectives in Healthcare, providing leadership on key healthcare priorities in Santa Barbara. In late 2017, after five years of diligent work, Ms. Tanner announced that VNA Health had achieved Level 4 of the We Honor Veterans; a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs. VNA Health is the only hospice organization in the Tri-County area (Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo) to have achieved this level. In 2019, Ms. Tanner led the company’s rebranding efforts and name change to VNA Health.

Ms. Tanner graduated from Idaho State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and later earned a Master’s degree in Nursing Administration. She has more than 35 years of experience working in homecare, including working as a consultant and a surveyor for The Joint Commission and as Chief Clinical Executive at Sutter VNA and Hospice. 

Ms. Tanner is active in many professional, service, business and community organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors for California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH), CenCal Health where she is also Vice Chair and Finance Committee Chair, and nationally on VNAA. In 2017, the Pacific Coast Business Times named Ms. Tanner the “Grand Champion of Healthcare.” The publication also distinguished VNA Health as one of the Best Places to Work for three consecutive years; and the Santa Barbara News Press awarded VNA Health the “Reader’s Choice Award for Senior At Home Services.” In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, quilting, and spending time with family.

Richard Roberts

Richard has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Bacteriology & Public Health, Washington State University and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Loma Linda University. He was a long time employee of the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health and retired after serving fifteen years as the Director of the Department of Environmental Health Services. He was an active member of several professional National and State Environmental/Public Health Organizations. He was a member, NSF Council of Public Health Consultants; member Underwriters Laboratory Environmental/Public Health Council. 

In 1988, after retirement from San Bernardino County, Richard & his wife, Carol, moved to the Central Coast. After a few years as a consultant in Environmental Management, he became actively involved in community service. Sixteen years as the Public Member on the San Luis Obispo County Local Agency Formation Commission; Grover Beach Planning Commission; Founding Board Member of the Clark Center Performing Arts Association; President of the South County Performing Arts Guild; Founding Board Member of the Central Coast Exploration Station, Grover Beach; Grover Beach Chamber of Commerce Board Member and volunteer reporter; and is currently a member of the Board of Directors, Retired Active Men’s Association and the Grover Beach Community Library. 

Richard has received several achievement awards including Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Grover Beach Chamber of Commerce; Earl Mann Spirit Award, Grover Beach Parks & Recreation; with Carol, Grand Marshalls, Grover Beach Holiday Parade; Environmental Health Specialist of the Year, California Environmental Health Association; Davis Calvin Wagner Award (highest award) & Diplomat, American Academy of Sanitarians; Mangold Award (highest award), National Environmental Health Association; Rotarian of the Year, Rotary Club of Grover Beach. 

He and his wife enjoy their community service, performing in a ukulele band; hobbies, watercolor art for Carol, woodworking and writing for Richard; time with their extensive family, four children, eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren; and, travel a good portion in their recreational vehicle.

Daniel Nielson

Daniel is the Director of the Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services, the entity responsible for determining Medi-Cal eligibility for Santa Barbara County residents.

At the time of his appointment to the CenCal Board he had 29 years of non-profit and public sector experience in many aspects of the health and human service field. Daniel's career includes a position with the Community Health Centers, Inc. in Salt Lake City, Utah where he was the Project Director of the Health Access Project, providing free specialty and primary health care to the low income uninsured residents of Salt Lake County through a network of over 600 volunteer doctors and 9 hospitals.

Prior to coming to Santa Barbara County in May of 2013 he was the Director of the Health and Human Services Agency in El Dorado County, California. The Agency is comprised of Public Health, Mental Health, Social Services and Community Services. 

He received two B.S. degrees in the Behavioral Sciences in 1984 and a Master of Public Administration degree in 2004, all from the University of Utah.

Karen Johnson

Karen is a third generation native of Santa Barbara. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1979, but continues to live an active life. She is now retired after 17 years of service for the Special Education Department of Santa Barbara County Schools; incentive program of the Social Security Administration.

Karen has served as the Medi-Cal representative on the CenCal Health Board of Directors since 1995, as well as the Board liaison to the agency’s Community Advisory Board. As a Board member, she represents the interests of consumers who are served by the CenCal Health’s various health plans. She is on the Access Committee with the City of Santa Barbara and the Boards of Directors of Easy Lift Transportation and Pilgrim Terrace Cooperative Homes.

Dan Herlinger

Dan has recently been senior consultant for Arthur S. Shorr & Associates, Inc., a management firm providing business and strategic planning services to hospitals and physicians. He served as President and CEO of CHW Central Coast, overseeing the operations of four hospitals including St. Francis Medical Center and Marian Medical Center. Before this time, he was President and CEO of St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo and Vice President of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago.

He has been honored with the Regent's Award from the American College of Health Care Executives, and has served as the California delegate to the American Hospital Association. He has also been chairman of the board of the Health Care Association of Southern California and on the board of the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, the California Council for Quality and Service, and the California Association of Catholic Hospitals. He served for three years as an examiner for the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award Program.

Dan is active in a number of community organizations including Rotary International, and served on the boards of Ascend Clinical Laboratories, Satellite Healthcare Inc., Cognitive Fitness and Innovative Therapies and Surgical Eye Expeditions, Inc. He is a certified mediator, a health policy advisor to AARP and a Life Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has also served on the Santa Barbara Civil Grand Jury. He received his BS from Loyola University of Chicago, and his MBA in healthcare administration from The George Washington University.

Richard "Michael" Hill

Mike Hill reports directly to the San Luis Obispo County Administrative Officer, as Health Agency Director he oversees the planning, development and implementation of health services. Mr. Hill supervises three department heads, an assistant director and a division manager. Services include Health Administration, Public Health Behavioral, Health Animal Services and Office of the Public Guardian. The Health Agency has 613 full and part-time employees and a budget of over $100 million. The Department is a professional and highly respected public agency that has created and implemented a multitude of comprehensive services, which make San Luis Obispo County a healthier and more desirable place to live.

Mike came to San Luis Obispo County from his previous position as the Public Health Administrator for McHenry County Illinois where he reported directly to the County Board of Health. Prior to spending four years in McHenry County he served as the first Executive Director of the Paso del Norte Health Information Exchange serving the 20 Western counties of Texas; and as the Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Association of Local Health Officials. Prior to those positions, he was the Public Health Director of the City of El Paso Department of Public Health where he served from 2008 to 2012. Before working in El Paso, Mike served for two years as the Director of Disease Control and Prevention at San Joaquin County Public Health Services in Stockton, California. Before moving to California, he worked at the Okeechobee County Health Department in Okeechobee Florida for 14 years advancing through a series of increasingly responsible positions finally serving as the County Health Officer for six years. Mike began his public-sector healthcare career working for the New York State Office of Mental Health for six years prior to relocating to Florida.

Mike has master’s degrees in Public Health and Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He is board certified in healthcare management by the American College of Healthcare Executives, is a Certified Health Education Specialist and a Certified Public Health Administrator and has numerous awards and publications. Mike also volunteers as a site visitor for the Public Health Accreditation Board to review health departments for national accreditation and has held board level appointments at several health and IT related organizations.

Mark P. Lisa

Mark Lisa is the Chief Executive Officer of Tenet Health Central Coast.  In this capacity he is responsible for the strategic leadership of Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center – a tertiary hospital and Level III Trauma Center in San Luis Obispo. He became the inaugural Market CEO in November, 2017, after serving as CEO of Twin Cities beginning in July of 2012.  Prior to coming to San Luis Obispo County, Mark was the CEO at Doctors Hospital of Manteca, another Tenet hospital, having assumed that position in late 2006. Mark spent 20 years in the United States Navy first as an enlisted Hospital Corpsman, and then a Naval Officer, he served in 2 ships, 3 Marine Corps units, a 500-bed Fleet Hospital during the Gulf War, and finally at the Headquarters of the Navy Healthcare System, for the Navy Surgeon General in Washington, DC.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from St. Martins College, and a Masters in Health Administration from Chapman University College. He is an active member and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Mark is a Private Pilot, and an avid motorcycle enthusiast. He enjoys flying – both on two wheels and on two wings.

Supervisor Joan Hartmann

Joan Hartmann has lived in Santa Barbara County part-time since 1999 and full-time since 2004. She served for six years as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in the foster care network. She also served on the Wildling Museum's Board of Directors, the Fund for Santa Barbara's Grant Making Committee, and the Santa Barbara Foundation's LEAF Advisory Committee.

Joan began her career in the academic world, serving as Director of the Public Policy Program at the Claremont Graduate School; Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Government at Oberlin College; and later as adjunct professor of Environmental Studies at USC. She has also worked in the policy and budget offices and as legal counsel for several federal government agencies.

She has also served in government—with the Congressional Research Service, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. EPA, Region 3 and helped found the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, a novel public private partnership to restore coastal Southern California rivers and wetlands.

She spearheaded the Buellton Urban Growth Boundary initiative which requires a vote of the people before the City can expand its boundaries, the first such initiative in Santa Barbara County. She also advised the Goodland Coalition which successfully campaigned for a similar initiative in Goleta.

She is married to James (Jim) Powell, and has one adult daughter, and two adult stepchildren

Van Do-Reynoso, MPH, PhD

Van Do-Reynoso was appointed by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors as Public Health Director in August 7, 2017. Van has extensive experience managing county behavioral health and human services programs. Prior to Santa Barbara County, Van served as Madera County’s Public Health Director for seven years following two years as its Assistant Public Health Director. During her tenure as Public Health Director, she also served as the Interim Director of Madera County’s Behavioral Health Department for one year.

Van is deeply committed to public health, public service, and collaboration. She is currently an active member of the Southern California Public Health Alliance and co-chairs the California Chronic Disease Leadership Team. Van is involved with Community Based Participatory Research efforts with colleagues at UC Santa Barbara and UC Merced. She also has extensive experience working at the state level and currently serves on the California Health Executives Association of California (CHEAC) Executive Committee. Her prior experience also includes operations planning with Kaiser Permanente Northern California, and extended volunteer public health activities for an orphanage in Mexico.

Dr. Edward S. Bentley

Dr Bentley, who has been an active member of the Santa Barbara medical community and a CenCal provider since 1986, received his bachelor’s degree from USC, his medical degree from Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center and post doctorate training at LAC-USC Medical Center, and is Board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He continues to be involved in education through his clinical associate professorship of medicine at USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

He is past president of the Santa Barbara County Medical Society, former trustee of the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara and current trustee of Santa Barbara Cottage Health. He has expertise in Medicare payment through his work with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) and accreditation as a former trustee and surveyor for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). He is senior partner of Santa Barbara Gastroenterology Consultants Medical Group, a division of InSite Digestive Health Care.

Supervisor Debbie Arnold

Supervisor Arnold moved to San Luis Obispo in 1973 to attend California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). She is married to husband, Steve. While raising her children, she owned and operated Small Wonders Preschool in Atascadero. She worked as a Legislative Aide at the County Supervisor’s office and as a San Luis Obispo District Representative for the State Senate. She now serves as 5th District Supervisor of San Luis Obispo County.

Here is a list of boards/committees Supervisor Arnold has sat on or currently serves: San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, San Luis Obispo Council of Governments/Regional Transit Authority (2013 to present, President 2015), Local Agency Formation Commission, SLO (2018-present), Community Action Partnership San Luis Obispo (2013-present), SLO County Behavioral Health Advisory Board (2018), Homeless Services Oversight Committee (Chair, 2013-2017),  FireSafe Council (current Chair since 2017), Air Pollution Control District (Chair 2017), LINK Family Resource Center, Student Community Liaison Committee (2013 to present), Integrated Waste Management Authority (2013 to present), Assistance League Advisory Board (2017? - present), Atascadero Basin GSA (Chair), Paso Robles Basin GSA (Alternate), Cuyama Basin GSA (Alternate), San Luis Obispo Co. Flood Control & Water Conservation District (2013 to present), Latino Outreach Council (Secretary 2013-2016), Adult Services Policy Council (2018), RCRC (2018 alternate), CSAC (2017-2018 alternate), CenCal Board of Directors (2019)